Cool Cat Teacher Blog is at coolcatteacher.com

Looking for ideas to engage your students in conversation? In this week's quick news roundup, I give you stories about: The impact of overwork on the teacher's brain, An idea for an energy drink experiment for science teachers around the chemical "taurine" NASA and the tectonic plates of Venus YouTube's new "Peak Points" Advertising strategy as an AI article to discuss with students ChatGPT 4 going away? And how I teach students to test different models of AI and share their results How some people are installing local LLM's on their machines New AI guidance for teachers and common patterns I'm noting Google's AIME and the future of medical chat bots DuoLingo goes AI, and A Star-Wars themed personality test gone to the dark side? Once a week, I work to share news articles and stories with you that I'm using. I want you to have quick ideas for turning headlines into a warm-up, debate, or story starter. Show note...

Do you want to help students truly understand and enjoy math? In this inspiring episode, Dr. Erin Krupa shares her powerful research and practical classroom strategies that have helped boost student math achievement. From project- based challenges to integrating meaningful tech tools like Geometer’s Sketchpad, Erin brings the research to life in ways every K– 12 teacher can use. She discusses how to spark students’ mathematical identity, create engaging tasks, and avoid turning math into a dry, procedural subject. Whether you're a math teacher or school leader, you’ll walk away with practical strategies and renewed encouragement. Sponsored by Solution Tree For over 25 years, Solution Tree has helped teachers and leaders improve student learning with research- based professional development. Discover how real schools are seeing big results in reading and mat...

From rogue AI behaviors to Google Gemini's web- building skills, this week's 10 Minute Teacher Podcast is your fast, fun roundup of the most classroom-worthy education and technology news! 🎙️ Today I'm sharing 15 surprising, hilarious, and serious updates that every teacher and school leader should know— from “ GPT tennis” in schools to an AI that tried to be your spiritual guide ( yikes - not just yikes but WATCH OUT). Plus,  I give a celebratory hat tip to long time blogger and teacher, Larry Ferlazzo, in his  retirement. I also explain why people are typing nonsense into Google and asking for " meanings" and how this can be a great lesson to use to share the limitations of Google Gemini or any generative AI tool. Highlights Include : The Rise of MCP ( Model Context Protocol): A new open standard that could revolutionize how your AI connects with school tools. AI ...

What does the science actually say about teaching methods that work? In this episode, Nathaniel Hansford shares how you can become a more effective teacher by applying proven principles from education research. Learn how meta- analysis, spaced practice, retrieval techniques, and data- driven strategies can lead to better learning outcomes in your classroom. Nathaniel also discusses why many PD sessions fall flat— and how we can do better. Whether you're just starting out or refining your craft, this episode is full of actionable insight for educators who want to teach smarter. 🔗 Show Blog Post: https:// www. coolcatteacher. com/ e899 Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by  Solution Tree . For over 25 years, Solution Tree has provided research-based professional development that helps schools achieve real results. Learn more at  https://www.solutiontree.com/10MinuteTeacher   Ch...

On May 1, 2025, Sam Altman’s identity project, now called World (formerly Worldcoin), launched iris and face-scanning locations in six U.S. cities. The goal? Prove you're human — and get a World ID in return. In this episode, Vicki Davis breaks down how the tech works, why it's free, and the serious ethical concerns for educators and parents alike. You'll learn the three major reasons this global ID push is happening: Stopping identity fraud and deepfakes Verifying age online to protect children Distinguishing humans from synthetic AI agents With connections to platforms like Match.com, Discord, and Reddit, and the backing of Visa, this story is about far more than tech — it’s about privacy, control, and the future of our students.  I've included lots of links and commentary at the show notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e898   🔍 Highlights Include: What is “World” and how does it work? A free iris scan for ID and crypto — but what’s the cost to your privacy? ...

Students won't learn if they don't feel seen. 💡 In this inspiring episode, veteran educator Dr. Lucy Lambert-Guesnard shares practical ways to build trust, connection, and authentic classroom relationships—especially with students who struggle. From real stories like “Larry with the hoodie” to “Joey with the basketball,” Dr. Lucy offers compassionate strategies that help teachers turn everyday moments into meaningful teaching breakthroughs. Learn how to give better feedback, handle tough behavior with grace, and build a classroom culture where every student feels valued. Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Solution Tree . For over 25 years, Solution Tree has provided research-based professional development that helps schools achieve real results. Learn more at https://www.solutiontree.com/10MinuteTeacher   🔗 Show notes and links: www.coolcatteacher.com/e897   📲 Subscribe to the 10 Minute Teacher Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcatcher. New ...